world cup, grill parties, and staying in shape

Summer is in full swing, despite the deceivingly cool weather we still have from time to time.  We have enjoyed our local swimming pools, I have soaked up as many rays of sun as possible, and most of all - it is world cup time!  I have seen a few different games played - every Germany game, of course, and a couple of the US games, including the last one tonight, where they lost to Ghana and ended their run in the tournament.  Sigh.  Watching the games is always interesting, as everyone gets excited, even if it isn't your country playing.  The entire mood during the World Cup is full of excitement - it is not limited to one city or one state - it envelops the entire country.

Part of watching the world cup includes the grill parties that go along with them.  It is becoming quite normal to see a little round grill set up with sausages sitting on top, turning a nice crispy brown.  Even here I feel the irresistible urge to be near the grill, to work with the fire, and turn the meat.  :)  Simply feels like home, when I get to do that.  The best sort of grill parties are the ones up in the hills around Stuttgart, surrounded by vineyards, sitting on the grass in the shade or tossing a frisbee with friends.

Since March, when the weather finally let up from snowing every week, I have been back on the road, jogging through the fields and vineyards near our house.  In May, I saw a poster for a 10K here in Waiblingen, and since I haven't done a race since the 10-mile race in Philly a year ago, I decided to join in.  Good thing I did, and trained a bit for it too, because it paid off.  In a relatively small field of competition, I was able to come in 8th place for women overall (122nd from the whole group), and 2nd place in my age group (20-30).  It felt so good to compete wholeheartedly at something, and win for the first time as well.  Around the same time, I began playing soccer with a few friends on Friday evenings.  This is an area where victory often eludes me - I think I have hurt myself as much running alone with the soccer ball as when I am engaged in play with another person.  :)

Besides these things, I have been also occupied with the family a lot.  Summer also means more parties and events that they want to go to together, or for example, a trip to the grandparents that we made by train last week.  Let me just say, surviving seven hours in a train with two children under the age of 4 is quite a feat indeed - and we did it twice.  For me, it was lovely to see a new city (Potsdam, a little outside of Berlin) and get out alone on the bicycle and explore.  We got to spend some good time together as well, and I was thankful for that, as the time is flying by.  I am preparing for my German language exam, writing cover letters and getting ready to apply for jobs.  My summer travels are being planned, and my time post-au-pair is also starting to be roughly planned out.  Things are moving and shaking, and I'm just trying to keep my balance in the midst of it.  I look forward to what is coming next.

hours filled with work, play, and life

During the past few weeks, life has followed a fairly steady routine, which has also been pleasantly interrupted by special events.  As April moved along, the sun warmed up the plants and the air, and everything bloomed into fullness in thankfulness.  I joined in by spending all my spare moments in the outdoors, whether during lunch, while I studied more German grammar, or sat on a bench watching the girls play on the playground.  Each day after picking the girls up from kindergarten, we would almost always immediately go back outside, riding bikes or bobbycars, dancing in the newly green grass, or building a sand tower.

At the end of April came two important things:  first, there is the day that I add another year onto my age, and second, I had special guests to spend that day with me.  My parents flew across several states and an ocean and part of Europe to spend just six short days living life with me in Germany.  We had a wonderful time exploring my corner of Germany, taking some new adventures that I hadn't even experienced yet, and getting to know the people who surround me here and make life here as good as it is.  There will be pictures coming soon, from their cameras, as I spent most of my time just seeing things anew, from their perspective.

After my parents left, I was left here with the children and their grandparents, because their parents also took a vacation.  For ten days, we also formed a routine, as I woke up first in the morning to get the girls up, dressed, and ready for kindergarten, found some sort of entertainment for the rainy days, and all took turns putting them to bed.  We had a lovely time together, and I am very thankful for having a warm lunch for a week and half (which I am sometimes too lazy to make just for myself), and for the care that they provided for the girls as well, allowing me to still go out and enjoy myself.

A week ago, I had planned to have my friends over for a belated birthday celebration, and to grill and hang out outside and enjoy the spring weather.  Well, the weather has played a cruel joke, and the last two weeks have been like being in March again, which for us means rainy, gray, and cold.  There was even snow last week in the Black Forest.  Ridiculous.  This called for a change of plans, therefore I made a huge batch of curry, a giant pot of rice, and fed the steady stream of friends who came over.  We ate and talked and laughed and then played the biggest, rowdiest, most hilarious game of UNO you could ever see.  My friends here have an extra list of rules that they play with, which includes drawing a card if you ask a question, so our phrasing becomes quite creative.

The other details of life at the moment include searching for jobs, working on my resumé, filing forms and making copies.  My next huge step is a German proficiency test in July, which I will continue studying and preparing for during the following month and a half.  I am encouraged by the feedback I have received from those I talk to here, but I also know that I have far to go.  Good thing I have always loved a challenge.  Now I must rest, and enjoy the vacation my body has forced upon me, when it woke up sick this morning.  Life, in all its normalcy, goes on here as well.

Pause, rewind, and...play!

I lied.  I definitely did NOT post as much in February, and then not at all in March.  Well.  That is how life goes sometimes.  Now you just get one huge post bursting with photos and stories and who knows what else.

(Quick side note - I realized that when I said "rewind", I was thinking of a cassette tape.  OLD SCHOOL)

My month of February finished in a whirlwind of trying to figure out a new German class (skipping two levels ahead of where I was!), getting ready for a friend to visit, and praying for winter to finally end.  We enjoyed a couple weeks of warmer weather, and then just as Jamie arrived, winter hit again in full force.  We froze in Salzburg, but braved the weather to see the city and go on the oh-so-touristy but once-in-a-lifetime experience of the Sound of Music Tour.

Snowy "Spring" Reunion

After our time together, I had one weekend here at home alone, while the family was away to celebrate the grandmother's birthday.  It was a VERY quiet, relaxing time, but of course, as I always do when I have free time...I fill it up!  Cause that is what is for, right?  ;-)  So I hung out with friends a lot, and got to know some of my new classmates a little better as well.  As the weather warmed up again, the girls and I spent more time outdoors.  Carlina started demonstrating how fast she could ride her bike, and I tried to teach her how to use the brakes.  As Easter approached, the family prepared for their vacation, and I made plans with Marisa to make our Paris and Berlin tour.

Spring in Paris

I suppose I have always been a little bit cynical about Paris, simply because I have heard so many people go on and on about it.  I wasn't expecting anything that special, but I couldn't help it...I absolutely fell in love with Paris.  We thoroughly enjoyed our time there, and then had a relaxing visit to Berlin, and then enjoyed the sunny weather here back at home in Waiblingen.  After delivering her to the airport, I continued on to a retreat with my church over Easter weekend.  It was wonderful to take some time away, relax, enjoy time with friends, and focus on the meaning of that weekend, from the quiet, meditation of Good Friday, to the rejoicing of Easter Sunday.

Now we have entered April, and spring finally is here indeed.  The weather continues to waver between warm and cool, but the flowers and trees all heartily declare that the new season has begun.  My favorite part is the Forsythia - these have always been one of my favorite plants to see blooming in Texas, and I was delighted to find them here as well, throwing bright splashes of yellow across the gray and green landscape.  (Thus, the new blog color scheme as well.)  We took a trip to the zoo, and thoroughly enjoyed seeing the different animals.  Check it out here:  http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=171739&id=652306217&l=8b4500882d

That wraps it all up for now.  Time for me to get to work, study some German, and put together an updated resume.  More to come soon.

the long wait for spring

Here we are, starting our third month of winter.  I am thankful for two things:  first, that I had a long winter in Philadelphia last year to prepare me for this year;  second, that I am having a more mild winter here than Philadelphia has had.  You have my sincerest sympathy, Philadelphians, but I am still happy to have avoided the blizzards.  :-)  After returning from my travels during the Christmas vacation, I jumped right back into life.  Those first three weeks back were some of the most difficult weeks that I have had so far.  I was very happy to be home, to not be hopping from one city to the next, and to reconnect with my friends here.  Yet it was also a time where some of my personal struggles reached a climax.  However, through that I have found opportunities to deepen some of my friendships here, and also strengthen those spanning the continents.  My experience here is continuing to teach me a lot.  I don't want that to sound selfish - as if I am here only to GET something out of it.  I want to learn in order to be able to put myself aside, and focus on the people around me - whether those who live in the same house as I do, or those who I meet in my travels.  That is much easier said than done, but hey, I still have plenty of time to keep learning.  :-)

For the last weekend in January, I planned another trip, this time to Spain.  A close friend of mine, who I lived with in college, currently lives and teaches English there.  We were able to spend four days together, exploring the city, drinking coffee, eating incredible food, and learning the ins-and-outs of the Spanish monarchy family tree while perusing room after room of incredible paintings at the Prado.  We spent five hours in that museum, and still only conquered one floor.  After that, a glass of wine and some lighter conversation were definitely in order.  We also cooked together, like old times, and had plenty of (mis)adventures as well.  Take a peek at sunny, colorful Madrid:

Madrid

This month won't deviate too much from the routine, but it has already had its share of long days, interesting experiences, and new friends.  You will hear from me more often than in the last month, if for no other reason than I will be here at my house a lot this month, either for work or school reasons.  As I sit and drink my coffee, looking at the fresh dusting of snow from last night, I look forward eagerly to the ground thawing, new growth springing up, and new buds opening.  Until then, I'll just add another cozy shawl and take on whatever winter brings.

the week when I stayed overnight in THREE countries and in SIX cities

After a lovely week spent with my brother and sister-in-law (country and city #1), I made the long (in time, not distance) trek back to my home near Stuttgart, and 9 hours after arriving there was back on the road again to meet some travelers coming from the States.  A friend from Philly and his brother wanted to come and see all that they possibly could see in six days.  The whirlwind tour is admittedly not my personal style to travel, but I also understand that if you are only given a small window of time to travel in Europe, you will want to make the most of your time.  With that in mind, we had planned out a course back and forth across Germany with a short detour into the Czech Republic.

Tour guide Bethany and her two guests

On the day that they arrived - a cold, snowy day in Frankfurt - we walked around that city a bit, then picked up our rental car and hit the road to Prague.  My friend was always in the driver's seat, since I am still younger than the normal car rental age, but for the first couple legs of the trip, I was copiloting, translating signs from German into English, and running the in-car drink and snack service (you're welcome, driver).  A 5-hour drive turned into a painful 6-hour drive (in which none of us had slept more than 3 hours the night before) and the highways were completely covered in ice and snow for the last half of the trip.  By the time we reached snow-covered Prague (country and city #2), we were all a little cranky, hungry, and tired.  Thankfully, the very kind concierge at our hotel recommended a non-touristy restaurant, where we feasted on traditional Czech food and beer.

Oh how I love to eat.  First,  bread baked over open coals.  Next, goulash in a bread bowl.

We awoke the next morning to a fresh layer of snow and a fantastic view of the city we were about to explore.  We left early from the hotel, drove into the city, then wandered about in the general direction of our final destination:  the castle.  On the way, we were able to see a traditional Christmas market, visit some incredible churches, and eat some delicious food.  Prague was everything I had hoped it would be - beautiful and almost fairy-tale like, especially covered in snow, which only enhanced the inherent charm of the city.  For lunch, I ate a warm, hearty serving of goulash in a bread bowl.  However, all too soon we needed to be on the road again, in order to make it to Munich by dinner time.  I said my goodbyes to Prague, with a promise to be back as soon as possible.

After checking into our hostel in Munich (country and city #3), I took my friends to my favorite restaurant there - the Augustiner Braustuben (which is connected to the Augustiner brewery).   There we ate such traditional Bavarian foods as Schweinehaxen (pork knuckle), Bauernente (roasted duck), and Bauern-Hendl (roasted chicken) with the usual sides of potato salad, dumplings, and blaukraut (sweet red cabbage), washed down by delicious Augustiner beer, of course.  For me, visiting this city that I fell in love with last March was like seeing a long lost friend.  I didn't even take any pictures, because I enjoyed simply being there.  In the morning, we took a walking tour with a tour guide that I had in March.  It was a wonderful way to acquaint my friends with the Bavarian culture, with an overview of German history and how Munich has played such a key role.

From Munich we drove back home (for me, and city #4) to spend New Year's Eve, or as it is called here, Silvester, in Stuttgart.  After getting settled at my house, we drove into the city, found an Italian restaurant that was luckily open (almost everything shuts down here on that night), then walked around central Stuttgart, dodging fireworks that were rolling across the streets and going off around every corner.  In Germany, there is no law against doing fireworks in the middle of the city.  When we spontaneously decided to go ice skating on a small, outside (seasonal) rink in the center, there were random fireworks shooting off above us.  This was my first time on the ice in several years, and after skating awkwardly around the rink once or twice, a beautiful, graceful older woman motioned me aside and explained, in German, how to bend my knees, balance my weight on the ice, and not look so much like a penguin.  I tried again, and continued to watch as she glided swiftly and delicately across the ice, in a long winter coat that swept out around her as she slid smoothly around the curves.  A while later, she pulled me aside once more to give me a quick lesson on keeping my feet parallel and bending/leaning at the knees to turn side to side.  That was the first magical moment of my night.  The next came after we had driven up one of the many hills surrounding Stuttgart, in search of a good spot to watch the fireworks at midnight.  There, through the friendliness of the younger brother, we met a kind German couple and their friend who invited us to come along with them to the best spot, where several other people were gathered with their bubbly drinks and bags and boxes of fireworks.  Here, there isn't one single fireworks show at midnight.  Everyone buys their own, and at the stroke of midnight, the entire city explodes in light and color.  The clamor and flashing and cheers lasted for at least the following 45 minutes.  We toasted and wished our friends a "Gutes neues Jahr!"

Berlin graffiti, one of the few portions of the Berlin Wall that still stands, and the coffee shop that I haunted (4x in 2 days) during the weekend.  So great to have GOOD macchiato again (sorry...I know I'm a snob).

After sleeping late the following morning, catching up on some much needed rest, we ate a leisurely breakfast, then drove to Berlin (city #5).  By then, the routine was pretty much set - we would stop along the way, purchase our travel snacks of coffee, pretzels and gummi candy, and then play 20 questions or listen to music to pass the time.  After checking into our hotel in Berlin, we wanted something quick and filling for dinner - so what other option is there besides some good döner?!  This is a typical Turkish fast food here, with meat freshly roasted on a spit, falafel, veggies, and sauce stuffed inside a pita-like bread.  So satisfying.  And very Berlin.  We did a walking tour of the city the next morning, picking up more history and stories, but by the end we were all totally frozen.  After a break in the hotel, we went out for Indian food for dinner (which was absolutely wonderful - rivaling the Clay Pit in Austin, or Tiffin, for you Philly folks).  Another group of travelers we met on the tour had invited us to go salsa dancing with them (most of them were also from Texas, haha).  The club we went to had four different dance floors, and I spent most of my time on the salsa floor - dancing is always an interesting social interaction, and even more so when the music is loud and you don't speak the language as well.  Thankfully, words aren't usually necessary, and I wore myself out with dancing, as it should be.  Sunday was much calmer - we checked out of our hotel, got some lunch, then picked up my friend Liesl who was returning to Berlin after the holidays, and joined her and her friend for dinner.

Former roomates in front of the water tower;  the University in Mannheim

Late that night we traveled back to where we started, Frankfurt (city #6), and checked into a hotel in order to get a few hours rest before waking up in the morning to eat a quick breakfast, drive to the airport, return the rental car, and say our goodbyes.  However, my adventure was not quite over yet, because on the way back home, I stopped in Mannheim to see a former roommate from Philly who was staying with a friend there.  It was wonderful to see another familiar face and share an experience in Germany together (which we had often talked about when living together in the States.)  We were able to do a lot of catching up in our few hours together.  Finally, I set out for home again, and was so thankful to be back in my own bed for good.  Well...until I travel the next time.  :-)

a tale of snowy nights, balmy days, and the adventures in between

After such a long silence, I definitely owe you some good stories.  I will try not to bore you with tales of travel difficulties to all the places I visited, and instead focus on the places themselves.  Suffice it to say, after 2 hours waiting in sub-freezing temps for my bus, I will avoid flying out of Frankfurt Hahn Airport (a.k.a. the middle of I-don't-even-know-where) ever again.  Overall, my travels were characterized by waiting, sitting, icy roads, and over-priced snacks and drinks.  A strange highlight and/or confession that I must quickly share - I went to my first McDonald's here in Germany.  It was the only place open and warm on that cold night in Frankfurt when I was waiting for my bus, and being able to get an espresso macchiato in their McCafe was a gift that night.  Grace comes in strange ways.

My first adventure over the holidays was to visit my brother and sister-in-law in North Africa.  I couldn't wait to be around family, have familiar smiles looking back at me, and share new and old holiday traditions together.  Because they had a lot of sprucing up to do around their apartment - cleaning and repairing and arranging - I was actually able to experience some parts of life that I would, on a "normal" vacation, never have seen.  Some examples would be visiting half a dozen "drogerie" or hardware stores in five block radius for various parts, tools, and questions;  having one shop owner offer to find me a husband;  and seeing my sister-in-law bargain like a pro in the marketplace.

Our Christmas preparations were also a little different - first having a small "family" celebration via Skype, then in a kitchen which had just been turned upside-down by the cabinet maker, preparing all our Christmas day foods.  I am proud to say that breakfast did not disappoint - it was up to par with what a Harding Christmas breakfast ought to be - right down to the sour cream coffeecake.  My other unique non-vacation experience was going to get our Christmas chickens - at a store where all the chickens are squawking in the back, you say what size you'd like to have, then they butcher, pluck, and clean them right there.  I did not watch the butchering - however, I did see some serious plucking going on.  And smelled some smells like I had never smelled before.  I also learned that you must get your chickens butchered the day before, as they must rest before they are cooked.  All that being butchered and plucked is hard work.  Thankfully, the smells wafting from the oven on Christmas day were not even in the same realm as those I had smelled the day before.  Dinner was amazing, and it was such a blessing to be with those I love.

On my last day in the city, we finally had some nice warm, sunny weather (after 4 days of solid rain and wind).  We were able to go explore the old city, walk through narrow, winding streets shared by donkeys and mopeds alike, and look at all the brightly-colored pottery, spices, and fabric.  There were also times to simply talk - one of my favorites was sharing coffee with my sister-in-law in an outdoor cafe on the top of cliff, with the Atlantic Ocean crashing down below.  At the end of the week, I was ready to sleep in my own bed again, but that was about the only thing tugging me back to Germany.  I could have enjoyed some more family time and warm weather for at least another week.  ;-)  Ah well.  I guess I'll just have to go back.

the shortest days of the year...

...and so much has been happening in them!  I have more to report from this last week than I could ever manage to fit into one post.  I will attempt to give you the highlights, along with some pics, and not make this go too long.

Last Thursday I traveled with the family to Aachen, in northern Germany - right in the corner, bordering the Netherlands and Belgium, to be exact.  We stayed with some of their friends, who also have an au pair.  Our two families hung out, and we got to explore the city, see the beautiful church (the oldest part of which was built in the 8th century!), the Weihnachtsmarkt, the Lindt factory outlet, and some touristy things, such as the European equivalent of "Four Corners" in the U.S. - Dreiländereck.

On the Sunday after we returned, I took part in our church's "Raclette und Schokofondue" night.  With the other young people, we did a short skit about Advent, and then sang a song, for which I was nominated to sing with the mic.  I generally avoid singing into a mic of any sort, and definitely not as the only one with a mic!  :-)  Thankfully, the entire group was singing, and the focus was on preparing our hearts for Christ, not so much on us.  Afterwards we enjoyed a very traditional holiday dinner, with melted Raclette cheese over potatoes, with fresh veggies or sliced meats.  Then each table had their own fondue pot - sharing chocolate with friends was the best way to end the evening.

Over the next couple of days, I did some craft-ing with the kids and our neighbors, and then some on my own, to deck out my room with a little bit of holiday cheer.  I happened to decorate just in time to usher in the wintry weather.

Last night, I experienced a different sort of Weihnachtsmarkt.  In Esslingen there is not only the traditional market which you will find in many cities, but there is also a Middle Ages Market.  Here, there were many people dressed up in period costume, various types of craftsman, and a dose of cheesiness as well.  Overall, I found it to be very well done, and perhaps a little reminiscent of the type of crowd you might see at a Renaissance Fair.  Many of those in costume seemed like Middle Ages hippies, complete with dredlocks and drums.  :-)  However, some really did preserve the art and craftsmanship of that period.  My favorite, of course, were the food stands where they cooked, kneaded dough, and baked right in front of you.

This last one is for my Mom, who requested that I find someone who spun their own wool.  Not only did I find the spinning wheel, but also an entire loom.  What can I say...we are kinda fiber nerds in my family.  :-)  Finally, to wrap up my post, here are links to recent pictures:

Weihnachtsmarkt

Wintry Adventures